Kimkim Trip Reviews for Austria

It was amazing trip and they listened. I would have changed a few things but they always kept me up to date on last minute changes or train missed they booked next one. Hotels were great! I highly recommend booking with them.

Clemens, Andreea and the team were very helpful, patient and easy to work with. They provided all transfers, my train ticket, hotel, and had so many excursion ideas.
I would definitely have them plan another trip for me.

We employed Kimkim's services because of its use of local talent to provide the best experience when touring a foreign city and country. We had an incredible trip with Kimkim to Athens. We expected the same level of concern to planning and detail on our just completed trip to Austria and Poland. That was NOT the case. When we arrived in Vienna, our private trasport driver was nowhere to be found. We circled the arrival hall multiple times. We utilized one of our Verizon cell phone travel passes to call the driver's cell (provided in itinerary). We finally located him and headed to our hotel, K+K Maria Theresia to freshen up after a long flight. The toilet in the room malfunctioned and the bathroom had no soap. We called the front desk and were told that the toilet had just been repaired with the wrong part so would not stop flushing and that soap would be provided. We checked out the following morning and boarded our OBB train from Vienna to Krakow- all according to our Kimkim itinerary. The Austrian conductor scanned our tickets and gave NO indication that there were any issues with the journey. Our tickets were scanned again by a Czech Republic conductor once the train crossed the border. Again nothing was said regarding the journey. When the train reached Hranice, the conductor announced that our journey has ENDED. He told us that due track damage, the OBB train would terminate at Hranice. Using very limited English he told us to try to find a local train or bus to either Bohumin or Ostrava but BEWARE because "bad people will try to cheat or steal from you." We were horrified. We had no roaming cell service so the "emergency kim kim number " was useless. We made our way into the train station and found the Regiojet desk. NO ONE spoke a word of English or German and they responded to all of our questions with "NO." We consulted the posted time tables and found a Regiojet train to Ostrava and purchased two tickets ($8.74). We also found a Regiojet bus from Ostrava to Krakow ($78). We had to take a taxi from the Ostrava train station to the bus station ( $10.90). We bribed a bus station guard to allow us to use the pay toilet (We had NO Czech coins) with a 5 Euro note. We managed to get to Krakow by bus with absolutely NO ONE from Kimkim or Grand Cuvee tours aware of the situation. We realize that the local arrangement staff is not responsible for weather related issues HOWEVER, the damage to the tracks was known in Vienna and in the Czech Republic. The only ones in the dark were the unsuspecting passengers who boarded the train. Our time in Krakow was not arranged by Kimkim and went flawlessly BUT OUR TRAVEL BACK to Vienna and onto Salzburg WAS. I contacted Grand Cuvee repeatedly because we were told by our Polish contacts that the OBB train to Vienna would not run. It was NOT until the evening before our scheduled 9/27 departure from Krakow to Vienna that Grand Cuvee confirmed that we would not be able to take the train from Krakow to Vienna. At this point, a private transfer by car was the best option. I paid Kimkim an additional $1000.00 for the private car and driver. The driver (Maciek) was excellent. He deposited us safely at the Vienna central train station for our train trip to Salzburg. We waited in the OBB lounge where we learned that multiple trains from Vienna to Salzburg were either delayed or cancelled. The OBB desk attendant suggested that we take the next available train. Since our tickets were booked as first class we were able to board an earlier train to Salzburg. The Imlauer Hotel Pitter was lovely. I believe Grand Cuvee upgraded the room which was appreciated. Our walking tour guide, Ms Klinger was very good. The Mozard Dinner Concert as arranged by Grand Cuvee was fantastic. We took the train the next day to Vienna with no issues. We returned to the Maria Theresia, stored our luggage and embarked on a walking tour of Vienna with Mojca. I would give the guide a B-. The most effective guides are those who have an itinerary and are able to weave YOUR interests into their plan. Mojca did not explore our interests but moved somewhat haphazardly from one spot to the next. When we passed the Maria Theresia library and my husband discovered that the library was open free to the public because it was Sunday, Mojca relented and went in. It was one of the highlights of the tour no thanks to the guide. The Mozart and Straus concert at the Kursalon and the Schonbrunn palace tour scheduled by Grand Cuvee were excellent. The Danube Tower tour was so so. The Sisi Museum and Imperial Palace tours were excellent. The concert at St Anne's church as arranged was lovely. Our stay at the Maria Theresia went well. The amenities in the room were functional. The hotel staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. Our transfer to the airport with Herr Wolfgang was on time and pleasant.
After our trip to Athens with Kimkim, we not only recommended your services but could not wait to use them again. After this trip- we will have second thoughts about a repeat. Your strength is in the intel that your local agents provide. The local agents did not stay informed. The trip to Krakow was incredibly stressful. The uncertainty of the transfer from Krakow to Salzburg created constant anxiety. Why were we telling Grand Cuvee that the trains were in question?
We feel that we spent a significant amount of money and then had to spend MORE. We also feel that we did not get good value for our money. We asked Grand Cuvee to petition OBB for refunds for our train fares. They have but why did we need to ask. I feel that Kimkim should cover the additional train, bus, taxi and private car fares. The Grand Cuvee team did try to turn this trip around for us but it was too little too late.

When we started the thoughts of going to Austria I reached out to a company ( KimKim) that I never heard of. It took us awhile to finally say yes we’re using this company. Tomaz was very patient with me while we made our decision to use them. Once we made the decision Tomaz was wonderful picking out places to see and places to stay at. We had 4 of us that were traveling. . We flew into Vienna and stayed a few days then picked up a rental car and drove to Salzburg & Hallstatt. We stayed there for a few days & on to Munich for a few more days. Tomaz was so good at giving suggestions of sites to see. We were then handed off to Zala who made the reservations for hotels and sites to see. She did a great job of putting together the times, directions to the places and all the tickets. Directions were easy to follow and we never felt lost. Every thing we saw was amazing. She was always responsive to my emails that I sent her frequently throughout the trip. The only complaints we had were the hotels. While they were in great locations and nice places to stay they were not our idea of 5 star as we requested. Rooms were small and only queen size beds. My suggestion would be to throughly review your documents on the hotels. We had to upgrade in Vienna, at our expense. And in Munich they had king size beds but our agent did not book this. The hotel was fully booked so we could not get an up grade. Our room was so small and no mirror in the room, not even a chair to sit on the do my hair or makeup. Our friends who traveled with us got a larger room. Still only a queen size bed. Both the men in our group were over 6”. So check your reservation’s thoroughly. We would give this company a 5star. But go over your itinerary really closely because we probably could have had things done differently with the hotels. Thank KimKim for a wonderful vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Sans Souci Wien

Vienna

Super terrific hotel. Beautiful place and great location. The staff was always eager to help in any way they could. The man who helped us the first day with our luggage was visible through out our stay. Always eager to please and help. . The restaurant was wonderful. We mostly ate there because the food was spectacular.

Authenticity & Character

It was a very lovely place all around.

Location

Easy to walk to everything.

Staff

The bell hop. The desk crew. The restaurant staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super immaculate.

LOUIS Hotel

München

The location was the best of this hotel. Outstanding complimentary breakfasts. Rooms were very small and not accommodating for luggage placement or dressing and makeup area.

Authenticity & Character

Larger rooms

Location

Walk out the hotel and there is a fresh market everyday. City center is right there.

Staff

Average

Cleanliness & Comfort

Larger room. Make up area, mirror.

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of the Historic Center of Vienna

Vienna

Maria was a wonderful guide. She knows her Vienna.

Quality of Experience

My special place was the Spanish Riding School

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maria who did the walking tour

Spanish riding school performance

Vienna

We had front row seats and watched as these beautiful horses and riders went thru their paces. The school is in the middle of the city. My favorite thing to see.

Quality of Experience

Both horses and riders

Guided private walking tour of Hallstatt

Austria

Our guide Lisa was so sweet and gave us a wonderful tour of this quaint place.

Quality of Experience

Such a beautiful place nestled between the mountains.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisa was a delight.

Hallstatt Salt Mine

Austria

To think they found this mine high in the mountains all those years ago. Very interesting how they mined the salt. It’s a terrific ride up the funicular and see the view from up there. Our guide was informative and our group was not too large.

Quality of Experience

A must see place.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She really knew the history of the mines and guided us thru easily

Transport

Riding up the funicular beautiful

Castle with fortress above Salzburg

Salzburg

Lots of things to see in this castle on the mountain. Great views of the city.

Quality of Experience

Zwölftenhorn Cable car St. Gilgen

Salzburg

Beautiful exhilarating walk once you ride up the cable car. OMG the views are spectacular. Watching all the hang gliders jump off the top was exciting. It was a Sunday morning and there was a special religious service on the very top. Everyone was dressed in tradition dress.

Quality of Experience

Unbelievable place to see. I could live there.

Hellbrun Palace

Salzburg

It’s a very special place. Lots of unexpected shooting water. The king had a terrific sense of humor. All the features are still working. The sculptures are so unique. We had a rainy day but brought an umbrella. Once in the castle you were high and dry. Lots of things to see and hear about. We used the whisper to take a tour.

Quality of Experience

All the quirky fountains.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone had a smile on there faces and happy you came.

This was our first time working with Kimkim. We worked with Mathilde and she did a fantastic job planning this trip for us! We decided to take this trip about a month before the travel date. Mathilde understood the essence of the timing and was extremely responsive and made herself available frequently so we could plan the trip details quickly. The purpose of our trip was to attend a concert in Vienna (Coldplay yay!) and she seamlessly planned our trip around the concert so we could utilize our time effectively to explore the cities as well. She also gave us useful insights on the concert which helped us use our time effectively and that increased our excitement for the concert! During the planning calls, we informed Mathilde that we like to explore cities on our own. She was very responsive and personalized the itinerary further to suit our needs by making a list of attractions we could see at our own pace. The recommendations for each city were excellent!

All the hotels were fantastic and centrally located making it easy to get to the main sights. The breakfast at all the hotels was scrumptious!

The airport transportation was punctual and the providers were excellent. It made airport transfers in a couple of cities very seamless. All the train bookings were handled well and our travel was seamless thanks to all the bookings. We had to reach out to the emergency helpline as we missed a train in Munich (since we couldn't follow the German announcement about a change in platforms at the last minute :( ). The support team was super prompt in getting back to us and checked in on us to ensure we were able to resolve it and get on the next train to our destination. Thank you!

Mathilde personalized the day trips to our preferences and we absolutely loved them. Kimkim's local partners who conducted the day trips were punctual and the guides enthusiastically shared information throughout the trip. It was fun to interact with them and learn about the region. The conversations with the guides made the day trip fun and memorable.

Overall, we absolutely loved working with Kimkim, especially Mathilde. She helped us make the most out of our trip so we could enjoy our concert and also travel around and take in the sights. We also appreciated that Mathilde checked in on us regularly during the trip. Truly a fantastic trip! Definitely look forward to planning the next trip with her soon!

Hotel Reviews

KING's HOTEL First Class

München

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance from Munich's train station and close to main sights

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel am Mirabellplatz Salzburg

Salzburg

Clean and comfortable hotel. Breakfast was excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Theaterhotel & Suites Wien

Wien

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Golden Well

Prague

Excellent luxury hotel. Located at the end of a quiet street. Loved it. Excellent on-site restaurant with the best views of Prague.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Munich Airport

Oberding

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel

Location

Conveniently located at the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Munich Walking Tour of the Old Town

Munich

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hallstatt + Lakes & Mountains District + The Oldest Salt Mine in the world

Salzburg

Guide was excellent. Was punctual and very fun to speak with. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Vienna

Vienna

Quality of Experience

The Sisi Ticket (3 imperial attractions on 1 ticket!)

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Welcome to Prague

Prague

Quality of Experience

Český Krumlov: Renaissance & Baroque Pearl of Southern Bohemia

Austria

The transport was excellent. The driver was very punctual and the car was comfortable and impeccable. Made the journey very enjoyable. The personalized walking tour in Cesky Krumlov was awesome! The guide shared a lot of insights and booked lunch at a very nice traditional Czech restaurant. She also walked us through the lesser known streets in town which was excellent. Excellent guide, highly recommend working with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

24/7 assistance in case of emergency

Austria

Very responsive suport. They gave us suggestions to resolve the issue when we missed our train and checked in on us to ensure we got on the next train to our destination.

Quality of Experience

Clem was patient and knowledgeable with planning for our trip to Budapest, Vienna and Prague. All events were planned well and clearly marked. We spoke a few times and made sure that our trip included both cultural activities and activities involving nature as well as time for my family to explore on our own. Hotel locations were great. One hotel was in need of renovation and when I told Andrew ( he took care of us while we were abroad and he works w Clem) he apologized, gave our feedback to the hotel and made sure our subsequent rooms in different cities were lovely.
I was in touch with Andrew for advice a few times along our journey and he was always available and answered promptly. I wouldn’t hesitate to use Kim Kim again to have a knowledgeable guide help with planning and logistics and to lend ground support when needed, while you are abroad. Robyn

We just arrived back in the USA after three wonderful weeks in Austria. With the help of both Tomaz and Zala, our Austrian assigned travel specialists, we visited Zell Am See, Kitzbuhel, Salzburg, Graz and Vienna. Throughout the stays in the amazing cities we had many day trips and excursions. Thank you Tomaz and Zala!

From Zell Am See, our driver / guide David took us along the Grossglockner road and up to the Grossglockner glacier and National Park and down the other side of the mountain to Heilegeblut. What a spectacular ride with exquisite views and highly educational at the National Park. David is a wonderful guide as he is from the area and quite knowledgable. Another activity suggested by Tomaz and Zala was the Top of Salzburg which was an amazing adventure taking at least 4 ski lifts / cable cars taking about 1&1/2 hours up to the top of the Kitzhorn. We were up on a glacier and experienced the first ski lift built into a glacier. Again, there is a museum to visit which is informative along with spectacular views. An experience like none other.

In Salzburg, we started our trip in the birthplace of Mozart at an evening Mozart string performance and two opera singers in one of the oldest buildings in Salzburg, dating from the 900's. We highly recommend such an experience in Salzburg. We also enjoyed a walking tour of historic old town Salzburg which helped us improve our understanding of the history and architecture and better directed our sightseeing during our remaining stay. One of the highlights was our visit to the Salt mine (Salzburg means Salt area) near Hallstatt. Along the way our very kind, knowledgeable driver took us through beautiful villages and made stops along the way.

Graz was truly a find and not heavily touristed which is refreshing. From here we did two days of traveling to wine regions with our guide David. Have to say, the Austrian and Slovenian (both Styrian regions) white wines are delicious but not well known. We came away converts and cannot say enough nice words about our guide David as he entertained all our ignorant questions and helped us better understand history and culture.

Vienna was our last stop and a city not to be missed. One of the highlights was a food tour guided by Peter. We knew enough to only have some fruit for breakfast which was a good call as 7 hours later we returned back to the hotel with belts way too tight! We liked one of the stops so much we returned the next evening for our last meal in Vienna before heading back to the USA.

This trip marks our fourth time utilizing KimKim, so clearly we think highly of the company. We very much appreciate being taken care of by a local company / individual and have not been disappointed in the level of service and ideas presented. We will be back for more adventures utilizing KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Grüner Baum Zell am See

Zell am See

This hotel is in an excellent location for walking all over the small village of Zell and very convenient to walk to/from the train station with luggage. Rooms are quite spacious and the staff is very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Typical Tyrolian architecture with a lot of wood and beautiful flowers.

Location

Staff

Big smiles and very friendly. They knew our room number when checking in for breakfast after the first day and think about how many customers they meet daily!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Schwarzer Adler Kitzbühel

Kitzbühel

This hotel is near the old historic city center and is exquisite. We were greeted with a glass of Prosecco and made to feel as though we were the most important clients. The hotel is exquisite and a wonderful place to unwind and relax with a roof tip pool including great views and a bar.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful, old historic building.

Location

Easy access to the city center but a taxi is required from the train station.

Staff

We felt right at home and it was hard to leave

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel IMLAUER & Bräu

Salzburg

Very convenient location to the train station. An easy walk with luggage. And also very easy walk into the city and the historic old town of Salzburg across the river. The staff is quite friendly and helpful making recommendations on where to eat and the easiest way to walk and begin exploring the city. The hotel has a beer garden attached to the restaurant which is lovely and shaded. Restaurant serves authentic Austrian dishes and the breakfast buffet is extensive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais-Hotel Erzherzog Johann 4*

Graz

This hotel is right at the one of the main squares of the historic area of Graz and an easy walk to get to the top of the hill overlooking Graz. Staff is friendly and as usual, they all speak multiple languages so will gladly accommodate the visitor. The trams are right out the door so it is easy to travel around the city if your feet are too tired.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Stefanie

Vienna

Hotel Stefanie is the oldest hotel in Vienna, located in the second district so there is a lot of history packed into the hotel, the city and the district. Very easy to walk across the Danube canal right into the historic city center, about a 10 minute walk. And once across the canal, the metro and trams are all available again making it easy to travel around the area. Staff is immaculate and friendly. This is an "old fashion" hotel in that the room keys are gigantic so you give your key to the staff when leaving the hotel. Amazingly, they have it ready for you with a smile on their face upon your return. So, very friendly and helpful staff. The rooms are far from "old fashion" and are well appointed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Zell am See on your own

Zell Am See

Started the day with a leisurely boat ride around the lake, approximately 1&1/4 hour. Then, we actually walked around the lake following the walking path. It is about 10 miles total around the lake but there are small little hamlets along the way with restaurants and toilets combined with beautiful views. Spent the remainder of the day wandering the village of Zell am See and having a beer lakeside around 5:30pm.

Top of Salzburg

Zell Am See

This was a highlight and the experiences was very unanticipated. The day started out cloudy and rainy so we debated going as we were certain the views would not be visible given the clouds. But, one never knows so we boarded the bus to Kaprun, about 10km. Ultimately, we then spent the next 1&1/2 hours traveling via 4 different ski cable cars up to the top of the mountain, the Spitz Einhorn. Miraculously, the clouds went during our transport up the mountainside so we were treated with a preview of outlooks to come and could hear the bells of the cattle below us and the sounds of the mountain streams rushing downhill. At the top of the Spitz Einhorn there is plenty to see and do. Ultimately, an amazing day.

Graz City Tour

Graz

This was a small group tour led by an employee of the Graz Tourist Information office. We recommend this tour as it helps you truly look at the buildings and architecture in a different way and truly see them. Lots of stories and history provided as well as tips on where to stop for ice cream and other delicacies.

Classic Concert in Salzburg with dinner

Salzburg

Highly recommend as Salzburg is all about the music and Mozart.

Hallstatt Salt Mine

Austria

This was an unexpected surprise. The mine is an active mine, still used today and has been in use for about 8,000 years. The old original remains are visible and the history is explained along the way. It is a bit "disneyland" but nonetheless an excellent experience tailored to both children and adults. We had a private driver to get us from Salzburg to the mine and had time to wander around Hallstatt afterwards. Hallstatt is picturesque, just like in the guidebooks. But, very crowded.

Day trip to Slovenian Styrian region (Ptuj and Maribor) - the oldest vine in the world!

Graz

David took us wine tasting two days in a row. The first day was to the Syrian region of Austria near the Slovenian border. This particular trip was into Slovenia, our first time into the country of Slovenia. Beautiful and picturesque given the steep rocky hills, vines and trees. Delightful wines. And both Maribor with the oldest vine in the world and Ptuj with the castle were beautiful. The wine was an added bonus.

Vienna's Sweet and Savory Food Scene

Vienna

Our guide Peter provided us with both history of Vienna, explained the architecture and also helped us understand the importance of the foods / beverages we were tasting. So, overall a very educational and delicious tour. We spent about 7 hours total which included a lot of walking and the riding the metro into local neighborhoods with no tourists. This was refreshing as we could see everyday life. One of our stops was at a local market which was amazing to the sense for the sounds, sights, and smells. Highly recommend this tour if you like food and history. This company limits the size of the group and there were 8 of us including Peter.

Wachau Valley with wine tasting - group tour

Vienna

If you like wine and tasting and learning about new wines, this is a good day trip. The company limits the size of the group, there were 6 of us on this trip with 2 guides. We drove for about 1 hour outside of Vienna into the Wachau Valley with explanations along the way. We stopped at two wineries total, one before lunch and the second after lunch. Lunch was at a typical Heuriger which was excellent and unexpected. We had wanted to visit a Heuriger but were unsure of how to do this without a car so this solved the issue. After the second wine visit, we boarded a river steamboat and cruised the Danube to Melk, ending with a beautiful view of the Melk Abbey. Then returned to Vienna. A fun filled, delicious day.

This is the second time we've used kimkim to book a trip (the first was Paris two years ago), and our experience was again fantastic. This time, I was even more "hands off" in terms of planning - I basically let kimkim know the dates we were flying into Munich and out of Vienna, and let them know we love history, culture, and food & wine experiences.
Tomaz, Zala and team did the rest!

I really appreciate the hotels the team booked for us. Given our lack of knowledge about the areas we were travelling in, we would have had to spend countless hours (and stress!) trying to decide on these small, boutique hotels in the heart of everything....and we probably still would have booked some questionable spots. Tomaz, Zala and team made sure we were in great hotels, in great areas and close to all the transit options we needed.

Our guided walking tours were all excellent! In Munich, Salzburg and Vienna, we started with private walking tours to get a sense of each city. The guides were all fantastic, and the tours helped get us oriented and ready to appreciate all our other experiences.

And speaking of other experiences, we loved our History and Beer tour in Munich, our Baroque Music Dinner in Salzburg and we adored our Vienna food tour with Christof!

The crown jewel of guided experiences on our trip was our tour and wine tasting in the Wachau Valley. Tomas was an extraordinary guide and host. His love of wine, his connection to people & place in the region, and his own long-standing experience as a winemaker added a wonderful dimension to our day. We tasted apricots right off the tree (still warm from the sun!), saw the commanding presence of Melk Abbey, cruised the Danube and visited Durnstein and had the most memorable and delicious wine tasting and lunch at the Lagler Winery. Tomas also introduced us to one of the next generation winemakers in the region, and we brought home some incredible "souveniers."

There is so much more I could say, but I'll end by recommending travel by train between Munich, Salzburg and Vienna (such a lovely way to see the region!) and for using public transit in all three cities - it's easy, much more efficient than driving, and you see and experience so much more!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Mercure Munich City Centre

Munich

Great location by the Alstadt and close to the train station. Breakfast was fantastic and we loved trying all their different gins and tonics!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Elefant

Salzburg

Extraordinary location on a medieval street with a charming patio!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

K+ K Hotel Maria Theresia

Wien

Great location, close to transit and a LOT of great restaurant options! In walking distance of the museum district and so much more.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vienna's Sweet and Savory Food Scene

Vienna

This was SUCH a fun (and tasty!) experience. Wolfli has a great team of guides....we loved our time with Christof! The food, the markets, the beverages.....it was all shared with great stories and local highlights. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided tour of Munich

Munich

We loved our guide and all the context she provided for the unique-ness of Munich!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Tour

Munich

Our guide was so friendly and provided entertaining insight aboutn Munich's beer culture and history!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided walking tour of Salzburg

Salzburg

Our guide provided a warm welcome to this charming city, it's history and it's community. Born and raised in Salzburg, she was able to share context and worldviews that helped us appreciate this beautiful place, all the more!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Classic Concert in Salzburg with dinner

Salzburg

The musicians and singers were wonderful and the food was good! Loved the setting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided walking tour of Vienna

Vienna

Our guide was exceptionally knowledgable about the history, cultural history and heartbeats of Vienna!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wachau Valley wine tour

Vienna

The crown jewel of guided experiences on our trip was our tour and wine tasting in the Wachau Valley.  Tomas was an extraordinary guide and host.  His love of wine, his connection to people & place in the region,  and his own long-standing experience as a winemaker added a wonderful dimension to our day.  We tasted apricots right off the tree (still warm from the sun!), saw the commanding presence of Melk Abbey, cruised the Danube and visited Durnstein and had the most memorable and delicious wine tasting and lunch at the Lagler Winery.  Tomas also introduced us to one of the next generation winemakers in the region, and we brought home some incredible "souveniers."

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our fourth Kim Kim trip. They did a fantastic job as they always do in Vienna and Bratislava. Morjca, our guide in Vienna , was everything we hoped for. She was extremely knowledgeable and experienced and showed us what we wanted to see. Milan , our guide in Bratislava, was outstanding and gave us a memorable two hours.

The entire trip was well organized and ran smoothly. Directions on where to meet and at what times accurate. Tours were well run and tour guides knowledgable.

Hotel Reviews

Platzl Hotel - Superior

München

Great location in the heart of Munich. Very welcoming and accommodating staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutiquehotel Am Dom

Salzburg

Adorable boutique hotel in the heart of Salzburg. Perfect location for all the sights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth

Vienna

Perfect location for all the sights in Vienna. Great, welcoming staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private guided tour of Munich

Munich

Thomas was knowledgeable and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dachau Concentration Camp - guided tour

Munich

Liza was a fantastic tour guide. She was knowledgeable, friendly and passionate about sharing her knowledge of the Memorial Site.

Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Tour

Munich

Very fun tour sampling several beers and ending with a great meal. Sam was an outstanding tour guide.

Guided tour of Salzburg

Salzburg

Great tour of the Old Town in Salzburg. Terrific way to learn the history of the city.

Sound Of Music Tour Salzburg

Salzburg

Great overall tour of the important filming sites. We enjoyed getting out of "the city" and seeing the beautiful lakes in the countryside.

City Danube River Cruise

Vienna

We had expected to have some historical background, but there is none. The Cruise takes you up the canal and back on the same route, which is not the prettiest part of Vienna.

Vienna's Sweet and Savory Food Scene

Vienna

Michelle was a terrific guide who showed us "off the beaten path" parts of Vienna. She is incredibly knowledgable in her Vienna food history as well as general Vienna city history. We had samples of many different types of local foods, and our only complaint is that there was way more food than we could eat!

We had a wonderful time in winter Vienna. Clemens was thoughtful and conscientious in his planning and communication. We particularly loved the concerts and the Kunst museum/Shoenbrunn palace. The wine tasting that Clemens arranged was outstanding. Our guides Christina and Andreas were fantastic. Clemens had all out tickets ready and waiting wherever we arrived. The highlight was our hotel-the Sans Souci was outstanding. The accommodations, staff and cozy hotel bar was the highlight of the trip. The fact that there is a grocery store right next door was a gift!
We were not too fond of the restaurant we went to for the authentic Vienna meal and there was too much time allotted for it (3 hours and we were done in 45 min and there was no explanation as to what anything was..A few tips-you are better off taking ubers around the city instead of the arranged transfers/pick ups. We had to wait a lot, once we dropped off at the wrong place,then dropped 1/4 mile away from the entrance and has to walk in the dark. The concert had just started when we got there and it was very stressful. Also many of the arranged rides had drivers who were smokers and their vehicles reeked of smoke.The Uber would give you flexibility to come and go on your own terms and they were plentiful. Next time we do more museums!

Hotel Review

Hotel Sans Souci Wien

Vienna

This hotel was outstanding! The accommodations, the staff, the housekeeping and Le Bar were actually the highlight of our trip. The coffee service was delicious and the included breakfast was luxurious. We loved the grocery store right next door-very handy and quite the asset. One of the best hotels I have ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Manuel at the bar was fantastic. His champagne tasting was such a treat. He is so knowledgeable. Nicolas at the front desk was a wealth of knowledge.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Don't stay anywhere else!

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Vienna: Walking Tour

Vienna

Christina was fantastic. Warm, friendly, knowledgeable and honest about Austrian History.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Masterpieces & Mysteries: A Tour Through Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exploring Schönbrunn Palace

Vienna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Culinary Highlight tour through Vienna

Vienna

Andreas was outstanding! He was enjoyable to be with and picked a great place for us to have goulash (we had had enough Weiner schnitzel by then).

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was my first time using KimKim and Tomaz, and only my second time using a European based travel agent. I picked KimKim based on online reviews. I was somewhat apprehensive because I had no experience using this agency and had never been to Austria. I admit, I was a bit guarded during the planning process.
Once we received all of our confirmations, I was able to relax. When we got to Austria, we found all of the arrangements to be quite good and reliable. We can't thank you enough. I would recommend you to others.

(The only thing that was confusing for us was KimKim using a partner travel agency -- it would be more reassuring to know in advance.)

Used KIMKIM to plan a trip of Budpest-Bratislava-Vienna

I had used KimKim this time because we'd used them in the past and were able to get the lodging and activities that were off-the-beaten path.
This time around, most of the value-add came in the form of the tours, inter-city transport and transfers, and activities. The lodging portion could more easily and efficiently be done by using other popular tools like Hotels- or Booking.com. In fact, you get visibility and transparency to the pricing by using those tools, whereas with KimKim everything is bundled into one price.
I ultimately did book almost everything with KimKim, because I didn't want to use them for just ideas, and then book direct myself--that feels a bit dishonest. After all, these are real travel agents doing real work.
Best tour--Wolfy's adventures in Vienna for a City Food tour. Can't be beat for authentic experience of the city.
Best hotel: Marrol's Boutique Hotel in Bratislava.

Communication between the agent at Grand Cuvee Tours and me was quick (be mindful of time zone differences).
The whole process was fairly efficient.
If you like everything tied into a neat bow, then KimKim is great. They know the regions from first-hand experience so that helps.

Hotel Reviews

Marrol's Boutique Hotel

Bratislava

A boutique hotel, with all the right touches. Lovely library with a bar, great location as well. Rooms were impecable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central, yet very quiet.

Staff

Check in Times at 3pm are silly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel President

Budapest,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central, near the Parliament buildings.

Staff

Well,

Cleanliness & Comfort

A bit run down in areas. Breakfast is in the basement and kind of dreary. Selection was fine, servers looked a bit tired.

Activity Reviews

Biking in Wachau Valley

Vienna

Meh. You really have to like wine to go on this tour. Unfortunately for us the biking part was rained out...so we bussed to different wineries. The little towns we went thru were okay, nothing really stood out. The lunch had limited choices. The boat ride up the river was 90 minutes wasted. I would not recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vienna's Sweet and Savory Food Scene

Vienna

Absolutely, positively a must-do while in Vienna. This takes you a bit off the beat and path, and you experience Vienna like a local, in different neighborhoods around the city. Best of all--it's all centered around food--a true foodie tour, where you taste local cuisine in the company of other great people. Try to get Maria as the tour guide--she's wonderful. This walking tour also gets you on the metro system for a short ride. Dress appropriately 'cause you will be outside. You will love the people you meet, and lots of photo ops as well. Highly recommended. Save the museums for another day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bas did a tremendous job on planning our trip, we loved every minute.

We had a fantastic trip. Everything was planned out perfectly and there were no problems at all with all the planned activities. Wolfy, our guide on the walking food tour of Vienna was outstanding and I would highly recommend both this tour and him as a guide.

Thank you to Tomaz and the team for all the planning. We thoroughly enjoyed the vacation.

This was our second time using Kimkim to help with our trip and as before everything was great. Maria, who provided the walking tour, was charming , informative and fun to spend the time with. The Wachau wine tour with Iolo was perfect. Wonderful wines, a special spot for lunch , all in all an enjoyable day. Both restaurant recommended were excellent. Zala responded immediately when we reached out with questions. We wished we were able to stay longer, but we will be back!

Thank you, Tomaz